1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to hurricane shutters, in particular to a wind resistant rolling shutter assembly.
2. Description of the Related Art
Every year hurricanes form over warm tropical waters around the world and many make landfall causing great destruction to real estate, especially coastal homes. For this reason many jurisdictions require hurricane shutters for all new homes built near the coast. Hurricane shutters function to prevent flying objects and/or wind from penetrating doors and windows and thereby prevent much of the damage associated with hurricanes.
The first hurricane shutters were simply plywood planks nailed into position over doors and windows. Plywood shutters are relatively inexpensive but they are heavy, unwieldy, and time consuming to install.
Rolling shutters offer solutions to many of the drawbacks inherent in plywood shutters. They can be opened or closed in a matter of seconds using a hand crank or electric motor. Rolling shutters have a number of interconnected slats that may be rolled or unrolled from a rod. The slats run down a set of tracks fastened to the frame of a window or door. The slats themselves are ordinarily aluminum or PVC, both of which are lightweight, somewhat flexible materials. Lightweight slats are easier to use and flexible slats can better absorb impacts from windblown debris. This flexibility can have its drawbacks however. High winds, extreme low pressure, and impacts can cause the slats to flex so much that the slats are actually ripped from their tracks. Several inventions have been devised to address this problem, including the following.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,253,694 to Bernado teaches an improvement in rolling shutters that includes a slat end fin attached to the ends of individual shutter slats. The fin is contoured and configured for securing a slat end to the side track. Each fin is fastened to the slat end with several rivets. The ""694 invention differs from the present invention in that the present invention does not require specialized fins nor any rivets which could weaken the slat ends.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,657,805 to Magro discloses a wind resistant overhead closure that includes substantially vertical windbars mounted on the side portions of the door frame, and windlocks or endlocks on the lateral edge portions of the intermediate and bottom most slats of the closure. The ""805 invention can be distinguished from the present invention in that the windlocks of the ""805 must be engaged manually and do not provide security for every slat.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,839,493 to Quaisius discloses a shutter system for a portal opening having a flexible barrier made of a plurality of interlocking flexible barrier slats having stop elements attached to barrier slate ends, a mounting assembly having guide tracks disposed on each side of the portal opening, and a retention assembly. The ""493 invention is distinguishable from the present invention in that the present invention lacks the reinforcement bar which secures the retention assemblies. The present invention also has multiple retention devices of differing sizes rather than a single retention device per slat end.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singularly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus a wind resistant rolling shutter assembly solving the aforementioned problems is desired.
The present invention relates to a shutter for a portal opening such as a window or a door and is suitable for protecting such window or door from hurricane force winds and airborne debris. The invention has a plurality of interconnected slats forming a flexible barrier having a front surface, a back surface and two opposing ends. Each slat is hollow and has one or more transverse ribs located internally for added rigidity. Each slat also has two sets of internal brackets that run from one opposing end to the other. Two slat retainers, disposed one in each end of each bracket, extend from each opposing end of each slat.
The flexible barrier is selectively moveable between an extended and retracted position. When in the retracted position the flexible barrier is preferably rolled around a rod disposed inside a housing located at the top of the door or window. When in the extended position the flexible barrier runs from the rod, out of the housing, down two track assemblies positioned on either side of the door or window frame, to the bottom of the frame.
Each track assembly has a flat front and back wall, a side wall, an internal support wall and two opposing ends. A channel bounded by the front, back and support walls runs from one opposing end of the track to the other. Two retention arms are located inside the channel and run from opposing end to opposing end. When in use, the flexible barrier is positioned with each opposing end of its interconnected slats being positioned in the channels of the track assembly. Forces acting against the slats will cause the slats to flex. Flexion of the slats will cause the slat retainers to contact the retention arms which will prevent the slats from flexing further thus reducing the possibility of slats being forced from the track assembly.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide a system for preventing the removal of interconnected slats from a track assembly through the use of selectively engageable slat retainers.
It is another object of the invention to provide a wind resistant rolling shutter that has a minimum of parts.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a wind resistant rolling shutter that requires a minimum amount of labor to assemble and install.
It is still a further object of the invention to provide a wind resistant rolling shutter that is light weight.
It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.